with a few appliances. Where were the knives? I ran one hand along the slick surface and attempted to control my breathing. Footsteps sounded from the staircase, and I frantically grabbed the first thing I could.
“It’s me.” The familiar voice came from the edge of the kitchen doorway seconds before I tried to smash his head in. I let my arm fall to my side and bent to release Biscuit. The dog skidded around the corner and greeted the voice’s owner.
“What do you plan to do with that?” Regulus eyed the toaster in my hand. My fingers were inserted in the two slots in the top.
I hugged it to my waist. “Umm…knock you out?”
“You were going to assault the Slip with a kitchen appliance?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“You are resourceful.” He glanced over his shoulder. “But you should have grabbed the knife that I gave you.”
“I don’t think I’m good enough with it.” I frowned and stilled my shaky hands. “How did you know that someone was breaking in?”
“I constantly monitor your house. I set up a camera exactly like you did a few months ago for your science project. Someone disabled it a few minutes ago. I knew you had to be in trouble.”
“You’re watching me?” My voice rose at the end involuntarily. “Exactly what part of my house are you watching?”
“The outside only, and you should be glad for it. It’s the only reason I can sleep at night knowing you are out here by yourself. I thought you would be happy to see me.”
“Of course I am.” I set the toaster on the cabinet. The guilt of being rescued washed over me. I didn’t like to feel helpless or rescued. My favorite T-shirt claimed I was a “Self-rescuing Princess,” and I intended to live up to the name.
“Arizona is coming. He didn’t hurry like I did.”
“Thanks,” I said. “For coming quickly.”
“It is my job. And you had plans to incapacitate him with the kitchen appliance, right?” He shrugged his shoulders and finally smiled.
I shook my head. “I’ll be ready to use a real weapon next time. I never thought anybody would break into my house.”
“It is odd. Perhaps he is looking for something.” Regulus said the words more to himself than to me. He began walking toward the stairs, and I followed.
The man lay face down on my bedroom floor with his outstretched hand inches away from my bed. He looked to be of average height and weight, but I still wondered how we would get him downstairs. The stunner had obviously knocked him out, and I really had no clue about how long he’d be unconscious. Regulus shared no details unless I asked him.
We rolled him over in the narrow space between the end of my bed and the wall. The intruder looked to be peacefully asleep.
“How do you know how long he’s out?” I backed up slightly. A feeling of claustrophobia tightened my throat.
“I administer the hit on his nervous system according to need.”
“If I had used a knife on him, there would be blood as evidence. I might have even killed him by accident. This seems much better. Why can’t I have a stunner?”
“Because you can explain to the authorities that an intruder came in, and you defended yourself. You cannot explain a weapon that doesn’t exist.”
“Oh.” It sounded logical, and I was disappointed. “Then I’ll become an expert with the knife.” I remembered how sore my arms had been after the practice session earlier. Grimacing, I grabbed my tennis shoes and stuck my foot into the first one. “Are we going to move this dude, or what?”
“Yes. Let us move the…dude.” He smiled, and dimples appeared out of nowhere in his face. “You can hold his feet.”
I nodded in agreement and watched Regulus lift the man from underneath the shoulders, slipping his hands under the armpits. Regulus linked his hands together over the guy’s chest and nodded that he was ready. I lifted his feet. The guy felt like a lead weight.
The guy wore Nike tennis shoes.
“I don’t think this guy
“It’s me.” The familiar voice came from the edge of the kitchen doorway seconds before I tried to smash his head in. I let my arm fall to my side and bent to release Biscuit. The dog skidded around the corner and greeted the voice’s owner.
“What do you plan to do with that?” Regulus eyed the toaster in my hand. My fingers were inserted in the two slots in the top.
I hugged it to my waist. “Umm…knock you out?”
“You were going to assault the Slip with a kitchen appliance?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“You are resourceful.” He glanced over his shoulder. “But you should have grabbed the knife that I gave you.”
“I don’t think I’m good enough with it.” I frowned and stilled my shaky hands. “How did you know that someone was breaking in?”
“I constantly monitor your house. I set up a camera exactly like you did a few months ago for your science project. Someone disabled it a few minutes ago. I knew you had to be in trouble.”
“You’re watching me?” My voice rose at the end involuntarily. “Exactly what part of my house are you watching?”
“The outside only, and you should be glad for it. It’s the only reason I can sleep at night knowing you are out here by yourself. I thought you would be happy to see me.”
“Of course I am.” I set the toaster on the cabinet. The guilt of being rescued washed over me. I didn’t like to feel helpless or rescued. My favorite T-shirt claimed I was a “Self-rescuing Princess,” and I intended to live up to the name.
“Arizona is coming. He didn’t hurry like I did.”
“Thanks,” I said. “For coming quickly.”
“It is my job. And you had plans to incapacitate him with the kitchen appliance, right?” He shrugged his shoulders and finally smiled.
I shook my head. “I’ll be ready to use a real weapon next time. I never thought anybody would break into my house.”
“It is odd. Perhaps he is looking for something.” Regulus said the words more to himself than to me. He began walking toward the stairs, and I followed.
The man lay face down on my bedroom floor with his outstretched hand inches away from my bed. He looked to be of average height and weight, but I still wondered how we would get him downstairs. The stunner had obviously knocked him out, and I really had no clue about how long he’d be unconscious. Regulus shared no details unless I asked him.
We rolled him over in the narrow space between the end of my bed and the wall. The intruder looked to be peacefully asleep.
“How do you know how long he’s out?” I backed up slightly. A feeling of claustrophobia tightened my throat.
“I administer the hit on his nervous system according to need.”
“If I had used a knife on him, there would be blood as evidence. I might have even killed him by accident. This seems much better. Why can’t I have a stunner?”
“Because you can explain to the authorities that an intruder came in, and you defended yourself. You cannot explain a weapon that doesn’t exist.”
“Oh.” It sounded logical, and I was disappointed. “Then I’ll become an expert with the knife.” I remembered how sore my arms had been after the practice session earlier. Grimacing, I grabbed my tennis shoes and stuck my foot into the first one. “Are we going to move this dude, or what?”
“Yes. Let us move the…dude.” He smiled, and dimples appeared out of nowhere in his face. “You can hold his feet.”
I nodded in agreement and watched Regulus lift the man from underneath the shoulders, slipping his hands under the armpits. Regulus linked his hands together over the guy’s chest and nodded that he was ready. I lifted his feet. The guy felt like a lead weight.
The guy wore Nike tennis shoes.
“I don’t think this guy
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